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--- South Asian News, November 2 & 3, 2002 ---(International)

Reports say that bin Laden's son was captured by Iran and deported to either Saudi Arabia or Pakistan, but there is no official confirmation from Iran. Terrorist violence claims more lives in Kashmir even as the new chief minister pledges to 'heal' Kashmir. The progress in Sri Lankan peace talks is reflected in the news as well as the editorial section.

Africa

N/A

Americas

* Iran detains bin Laden's son (Canada.com)
* Sri Lankan peace progresses (Globe and Mail)
* Kashmir politician, guards killed; Indian police kill 12 militants (Canada.com)

Asia-Pacific

* Bin Laden's son reportedly detained in Iran (Japan Today) (News Interactive Australia)
* Indian PM to address 1st India-ASEAN Summit in Cambodia (Xinhuanet)
* 15 anti-gov't guerrillas killed in Nepal (Xinhuanet)
* Sri Lanka peace talks yield breakthroughs (Straits Times)

Europe

* New leader promises Kashmir 'healing' (BBC)
* Rapid progress to Sri Lanka peace (BBC)
* Sri Lanka and rebels agree to tackle politics (Swiss Info)
* Indian police kill two 'Islamic militants' (BBC)

Middle East

* Hung parliament set to meet on Friday (Gulf News)
* Sayeed sworn in as CM of Indian Kashmir (Arab News)
* Tough times ahead for Kashmir's new CM (Gulf News)
* LTTE wants pardon for warcrimes (Gulf News)
* Sri Lanka talks focus on three deals to boost peace bid (Tehran Times)
* Zardari's demand delays his release (Gulf News)
* Iran tight-lipped over report it arrested bin Laden's son (Iran Mania)
* Islamabad criticises Commonwealth (Gulf News)

Editorial

* News Analysis: Sri Lanka makes solid gains in peace process (Xinhuanet)

Business/Technology

Africa

N/A

Americas

* Iran detains bin Laden's son

November 3, London -- Iranian security forces have detained one of Osama bin Laden's sons among several hundred people suspected of links to the al Qaeda terror network, the Financial Times reported on its web site Saturday. Citing an unidentified Iranian official, the newspaper said Iran had handed bin Laden's son over to authorities in either Saudi Arabia or Pakistan. The paper, which does not appear on Sundays, planned to publish the story in its Monday edition, said spokesman Gregory Roth.

http://www.canada.com/hamilton/story.asp?id={352BA198-A723-493F-B329-6DCB989E1F9C}

* Sri Lankan peace progresses

November 3, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand -- Sri Lankan rebels made a host of concessions Sunday after successful peace talks with the government, and admitted for the first time that they recruited child soldiers. The unexpected concessions, along with other agreements during the four days of talks, have raised hopes of a permanent solution to a 19-year war in Sri Lanka that has killed 64,000 people.

http://www.globeandmail.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/front/RTGAM/20021103/wlank1103/Front/homeBN/breakingnews

* Kashmir politician, guards killed; Indian police kill 12 militants

November 2, Srinagar, India -- Hours after a new government was installed Saturday, suspected Islamic militants shot dead a local leader of the ruling Congress party and his two guards in the heart of Indian-controlled Kashmir's capital, police said. At about the same time, Indian soldiers killed 12 suspected Islamic guerrillas trying to sneak across the disputed Kashmir frontier from Pakistan-controlled territory, police said. Weapons and ammunition were recovered from the men, police in Jammu said.

http://www.canada.com/ottawa/story.asp?id={BB0-857D-794C1A94C8F6}

Asia-Pacific

* Bin Laden's son reportedly detained in Iran

November 3, London -- Iranian security forces have detained one of Osama bin Laden's sons among several hundred people suspected of links to the al Qaeda terror network, the Financial Times reported on its web site Saturday. Citing an unidentified Iranian official, the newspaper said Iran had handed bin Laden's son over to authorities in either Saudi Arabia or Pakistan. The paper, which does not appear on Sundays, planned to publish the story in its Monday edition, said spokesman Gregory Roth.

http://www.japantoday.com/e/?content=news&cat=8&id=237089
http://news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,5414263%255E401,00.html

* Indian PM to address 1st India-ASEAN Summit in Cambodia

November 3, New Delhi -- In a major thrust to cooperation with South East Asia and the Far East, Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee will address the first-ever India-ASEAN Summit in Cambodia on Nov. 4, focussing on threats posed by terrorism and ongreater economic and trade ties. Vajpayee, who leaves here Monday on a five-day visit to Cambodia and Laos, would discuss with 10-member ASEAN prospects ofa free trade area to further strengthen relations with the grouping besides an ASEAN Integration Initiative. During his three-day stay in Phnom Penh, he is expected to meetChinese and Japanese Premiers Zhu Rongji and Junichiro Koizumi whowill also be attending the day-long Summit as dialogue partners.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2002-11/03/content_616981.htm

* 15 anti-gov't guerrillas killed in Nepal

November 3, Kathmandu -- At least 15 anti-government guerrillas were killed early Saturday morning by the government security forces in Nepal, according to a press release issued by the Nepali Defense Ministry Sunday. At least 10 anti-government guerrillas including a so-called area commander were gunned down on the spot in Rajapur area of Bardiya district and two each were killed in Baitadi and Darchula districts respectively, all located in western Nepal, while another one was killed in the central district of Ramechhap, the press release said. The guerrillas were killed when they exchanged fire with the government security forces. The government security forces also seized some arms, ammunition and explosive materials from the guerrillas during their cordon and search operations in these districts, it added.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2002-11/03/content_617027.htm

* Sri Lanka peace talks yield breakthroughs

November 3, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand -- The second round of Sri Lankan peace talks ended on Sunday with a series of breakthroughs, including an agreement by Tamil rebel and government negotiators to discuss power sharing after 19 years of civil war. The four-day talks also resulted in other major agreements to set up two key committees -- one to handle humanitarian and reconstruction needs in war-torn areas of northern and eastern Sri Lanka; the other to ensure the resettlement of people displaced from strategic areas now occupied by government troops.

http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/latest/story/0,4390,152748,00.html

Europe

* Bin Laden's son expelled from Iran

November 3 -- Iran has arrested and subsequently deported one of Osama Bin Laden's sons after he crossed the border from Afghanistan or Pakistan. An Iranian official confirmed a report in London's Financial Times that one of the sons of the al-Qaeda leader had been detained two months ago along with about 20 other people who entered the country and were then "sent back across the border".

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/2394911.stm
http://www.swissinfo.org/sen/Swissinfo.html?siteSect=143&sid=1434811

* New leader promises Kashmir 'healing'

November 3, Srinagar, India -- The new chief minister of Indian-administered Kashmir has pledged to push ahead with a planned package of reforms for the troubled region. Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, sworn in as head of a coalition government on Saturday, said he wanted to bring the people of Kashmir to an unconditional dialogue with the central government in Delhi. Hopes that his inauguration would mark a new phase in Kashmir politics were dampened by a series of attacks around the time of his swearing-in in Srinagar.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/2394023.stm

* Rapid progress to Sri Lanka peace

November 3 -- The Sri Lankan Government and the Tamil Tiger rebels say they have made surprisingly fast progress in their four days of peace talks, which ended on Sunday. Anton Balasingham, Tamil Tigers' chief negotiator The Tamil Tigers, once one of the world's most ruthless guerrilla groups, say they are beginning to transform into a political organisation. Their chief negotiator, Anton Balasingham, said they are now willing to accept and assimilate rival political groups, and allow a plurality of views in their strongholds in north-eastern Sri Lanka.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/2393271.stm

* Sri Lanka and rebels agree to tackle politics

November 3, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand -- Sri Lankan government and Tamil rebel negotiators have ended four days of peace talks with the clearest picture yet they are on track to end one of Asia's longest-running conflicts. They agreed to set up three sub-committees to overlook rehabilitation needs in war-hit areas, push military de-escalation and look at political questions at the heart of a 19-year-old war that has killed 64,000 people.

http://www.swissinfo.org/sen/Swissinfo.html?siteSect=143&sid=1433817

* Indian police kill two 'Islamic militants'

November 3 -- Indian police say they have shot dead two suspected Islamic militants in one of the most prestigious shopping centres in Delhi. Officers said they were acting on intelligence that a terrorist attack was being planned to coincide with Diwali - the year's main Hindu festival which starts on Monday. The dead men are believed to be members of the Lashkar-e-Toiba group which has been blamed for an attack on the Indian parliament late last year.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/2394307.stm

Middle East

* Hung parliament set to meet on Friday

November3, Islamabad -- Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf yesterday summoned the recently elected hung parliament on November 8, although rival parties still appear unable to finalise a coalition government. A government announcement said members-elect would be sworn in at the first session following which "the process of electing speaker and deputy speaker and leader of the house (PM) will be set in motion."

http://www.gulf-news.com/Articles/news.asp?ArticleID=67467

* Sayeed sworn in as CM of Indian Kashmir

November 3, Srinagar, India -- Veteran politician Mufti Muhammad Sayeed was sworn in yesterday as the chief minister of Indian-administered Kashmir, hours after he escaped unharmed from a grenade attack by suspected militants on his home. Sayeed, a former federal home minister was administered the oath of office by Governor Girish Chandra Saxena at a 30-minute ceremony before more than 700 specially invited guests in a packed auditorium on the shores of the Dal Lake, in Kashmir's summer capital Srinagar.

http://www.arabnews.com/Article.asp?ID=20073

* Tough times ahead for Kashmir's new CM

November 3, Kashmir, India -- The new chief minister of India's Jammu and Kashmir state was sworn in yesterday just hours after militants tried to blow up his house. Mufti Mohammed Sayeed, 66, favours talks with separatists battling Indian rule in the disputed Himalayan territory to end a 13-year-old rebellion that has claimed at least 35,000 lives. The Mufti's government has taken office amid fresh militant attacks and whispers of discontentment within the groups supporting him in the assembly. Hours before the swearing-in ceremony, militants threw grenades at the Mufti's house, injuring a police constable.

http://www.gulf-news.com/Articles/news.asp?ArticleID=67465

* LTTE wants pardon for warcrimes

November 3, Colombo -- The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) wants warcrimes committed during a two-decade civil war in Sri Lanka pardoned on the grounds that they were committed during a war situation. The demand came in the wake of a Colombo High Court judgment sentencing LTTE chief Velupillai Prabhakaran to 200 years imprisonment after being found guilty in absentia for the bombing of the Central Bank in 1996, that claimed lives of 91 people.

http://www.gulf-news.com/Articles/news.asp?ArticleID=67468

* Sri Lanka talks focus on three deals to boost peace bid

November 3, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand -- Sri Lankan negotiators sat down to a third day of talks in Thailand Saturday to finalize at least three separate agreements to boost their Norwegian-backed peace bid, officials said. The talks began an hour behind schedule as both sides agreed they had covered most of the ground they set out to tackle in their sessions which began on Thursday, a negotiator said.

http://www.tehrantimes.com/Description.asp?Da=11/3/02&Cat=2&Num=9

* Zardari's demand delays his release

November 3, Lahore, Pakistan -- The release of Asif Ali Zardari, former federal minister and husband of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, was delayed late Friday night when he reportedly demanded that three Pakistan People's Party (PPP) leaders, who were former ministers, be freed along with him. According to the Lahore-based English language daily, The Times, which had reported Zardari's likely release before the weekend, in yet another meeting with a representative of the military government, Zardari demanded the release of Jehangir Badr, Mushtaq Awan and Yousaf Raza Gillani.

http://www.gulf-news.com/Articles/news.asp?ArticleID=67489

* Iran tight-lipped over report it arrested bin Laden's son

November 3, Tehran -- Iranian government officials on Sunday refused to confirm or deny a report that it had arrested and extradited a son of fugitive al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. The Financial Times of London reported on its Web site late Sunday that Iranian security forces had detained at least one of bin Laden's sons after he crossed the border from Afghanistan and handed him over to either the Saudi or Pakistani authorities.

http://www.iranmania.com/news/ArticleView/Default.asp?NewsCode=12825&NewsKind=CurrentAffairs

* Islamabad criticises Commonwealth

November 3, Islamabad-- Pakistan said yesterday the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group decision to maintain its suspension from the body showed incorrect assessment and "incomplete understanding" of political process in the country. "The CMAG appears to have dwelt on non-issues and has not made the correct assessment of the situation," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement. The statement said the decision displayed "an incomplete understanding of the political processes and the steady transition to democracy in Pakistan in accordance with the roadmap announced on August 14, 2001."

http://www.gulf-news.com/Articles/news.asp?ArticleID=67493

Editorial

* News Analysis: Sri Lanka makes solid gains in peace process

November 3, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand -- Sri Lanka, the small Southern Asian island state ravaged by a brutal civil war inlast 19 years, is evidently progressing toward a better future as the two warring parties made significant breakthroughs in their second round of peace talks in a central Thai resort between Oct. 31 and Nov. 3. To mark their achievements and make best wishes for peace, Sri Lankan government's chief negotiator G.L. Peiris and his counterpart from the rebellious Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Anton Balsingham co-planted a cannon-ball tree in the flower-blooming Rose Garden Resort Hotel, 32 kilometers west of Bangkok after they wrapped up the four-day talks Sunday. The tree, or called Sal, is a revered plant in Sri Lanka because religion tales said the Lord Buddha was born in a Sal tree garden. The tree is also famous for its high yields of fruits, hinting that the recently-renewed peace talks will proceed with continuous gains.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2002-11/03/content_617069.htm

Business/Technology

N/A

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